Automatic indicating-buoy.



A. J. HEBERT. AUTOMATIC INDICATING BUOY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1912.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

mun.

mm AA awuewbo'o A J-He b 2 Ti n I u I a ALEX J. HEBERT, OF TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN. {1

AUTOMATIC INDICATING-BUOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

Application filed June 27, 1912. Serial No. 706,238.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEX J. HEBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Traverse City, in the county of Grand Traverse, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Indicating-Buoys; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to buoys and more particularly to automatic indicating buoys and has for an object to provide a buoy which will automatically rise to the surface upon sinking of the vessel to indicate the position of the sunken vessel.

Another object is to provide suitable support for a buoy of this character within which the cable may be carried and protected and to generally improvethe construction of this type of buoy and support and increase the efliciency thereof.

With the above and other objects in View, my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment of my device and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a view showing the buoy in position for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the buoy. Fig. 3 is a similar view through the support carried upon the vessel. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line al l through the buoy and support with the former in position upon the latter.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout, 1O designates the buoy support which is secured upon the upper deck or any other portion of the vessel 11 by the means of suitable standards 12 having their lower ends turned outwardly and secured to the floor of the deck, as shown at 13, the lower edge of the casing 10 being spaced a short distance above the floor, and the casing being preferably of cylindrical form in cross section.

Positioned centrally upon the bottom 14: of the buoy support 10 and extending upwardly therefrom is the post 15 which extends for a short distance above the bottom 11 and is provided with a vertical bore centrally therethrough to accommodate the short rod 16 having the nut 17 upon its lower end and engaged against the under face of the bottom 14 while an eye 18 is formed in its upper end immediately above the upper rounded end of the post 15 to receive one end of the cable 19 which is adapted to be wound around the post 15 and to rest upon the bottom 14 of the support, the opposite end of the cable being secured in the eye 20 in the lower end of the buoy rod 21. The buoy rod 21 extends vertically through the buoy 22 which may be of any suitable form but preferably has the pointed lower end adapted to normally rest within the upper portion of the support 10 said buoy also carrying a downwardly directed circumferential flange 23 secured at its upper edge to the buoy and adapted for engagement around the upper edge of the support 10 as clearly shown at 24: in Fig. 2. The buoy rod 21 projects for a short distance above the upper rounded end of the buoy 22 and carries the flag 25 which may be of any design and is preferably provided with the name of the vessel by which the buoy is carried, it being understood that the name of the vessel may also be placed upon the buoy if desired.

The buoy 22 is preferably provided with a pocket 26 in its upper portion within which any message or the like may be placed by the passengers or crew of the vessel provided time permits the placing of the message in the pocket, the pocket being closed by the cap 27 to prevent escape of the contents of said pocket or the entrance of water through the same.

The flange 23 will serve to close the upper end of the support 10 and prevent water from reaching the cable 19 as well as retaining the buoy 22 in proper position upon the support. To further support and retain the buoy 22 in proper position upon the support proper 10, I have provided a plurality of spring retaining arms 28 having their lower ends secured to the support 10, slightly below the upper edge thereof to prevent interference with the flange 23, while their upper ends are curved properly for engagement against the side of the buoy 22. It will be understood that in placing the buoy 22 in position, the spring arms 28 are pressed outwardly and will therefore exert proper pressure against the sides of the buoy from opposite points to prevent the same from being blown out of position by a strong wind. Upon the sinking of the vessel, the buoy 22 will automatically arise from upon the support 10 and travel to the surface of the water, the buoy rod 21 serving to properly hold the buoy 22 in position and also carrying the flag 25 upon its upper end and having one end of the cable 19 secured to its lower end. The post 15, eX- tending slightly above the coiled portion of the cable 19 will also prevent tangling of the chain during the operation of coiling or uncoiling the cable, as will be clearly understood. It will also be evident that should time permit any article may be placed within the pocket 26 by the passengers or crew upon the vessel and the pocket closed by the cap 27 before the buoy begins to rise.

It will of course be understood that minor changes in the details of construction may be made if desired without in the slightest degree departing from the spirit of my invention.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A wreck indicating buoy having a tapering portion carrying a circumferential flange around its tapering portion, a support having an open upper end the buoy being engaged within the open upper end of the support, the flange being engaged around the upper edge of the support to retain the buoy in proper position, a signal carrying means extending through the buoy, a signal upon the upper end of the signal carrying means, a cable having one end secured to the lower end of the signal carrying means, a post extending from the bottom of the support and around which the cable is coiled, the opposite end of the cable being secured to the post, and resilient means carried by the support for engagement against the buoy to prevent casual displacement of the same.

2. A buoy having a closed pocket and a downwardly directed flange, a support for the buoy, said buoy being adapted to project into the open end of the support, the flange of the buoy engaging over the upper edge 01 the support around the open end, a buoy rod projecting from the opposite ends of the buoy, a signal flag carried upon the upper end of the rod, a cable carried by the lower end of the rod, said cable being fastened to the bottom of the support, and a plurality of resilient arms carried by the support and engaged against the buoy to retain the latter in position.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

ALEX J. I-IEBERT.

Witnesses JOHN TRACY, JOHN JORDAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

